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Finally Switching My Nintendo Switch

I thoroughly enjoyed Golf Story’s sense of humor

Indie Games Perfectly Pair with Portability

Needless to say, I was excited when I got my hands on a Nintendo Switch a few short months ago. I loved the versatility of it being both a home console and a portable. I then proceeded to play about 120 hours of Legend of Zelda, with only around 5 of those hours being as a portable. It was a similar breakdown for both Mario Kart Deluxe and Splatoon 2. The experiences just felt too grand for the small screen, especially in Hyrule. I wasn’t sure if the portable mode would always be just a novelty for me, until the flood of indies started arriving.

Nintendo’s support of independent developers is one of the most promising aspects of the Switch for me. Golf Story and Stardew Valley just feel right on the small screen, and I’m excited to check out The Flame in the Flood soon. It’s the exact opposite of how I felt about Breath of the Wild. I docked my Switch to check out Golf Story on my TV and only played for a few minutes before I grabbed it to play portable mode on the couch right in front of my big screen. Experiences like that only add to the charm and appeal of a system like this.

I’ve heard a variety of games journalists say that they wish that every new game was coming to the Switch, and I’m rapidly approaching that point. That feeling is even more significant for me, as I rarely play AAA games that wouldn’t be able to run on the middling hardware.

Stardew Valley is the Dream on the Nintendo Switch

I have my PC hooked up to my living room TV, and that will probably remain the home of the bigger game experiences that I enjoy, but the promise of Stardew Valley on the Switch got me to stop playing it on my PC after almost 70 hours. I’m excited to get the game started anew on the Switch. This won’t be the only time I’m sure, especially since the announcement of Darkest Dungeon on Switch.

I was hesitant about the Switch when it was first announced, not about the power of the hardware like many others though. I wasn’t sure how Nintendo would support the flow of games after the Wii U, but now I check the eShop multiple times a week. Too many great games is a good problem to have.

It doesn’t hurt that Eric Barone seems to be into craft beer himself

The Two Faces of the Nintendo Switch

I love indie games and smaller, off the wall, experiences. Microsoft and Sony are picking up the more popular ones, but for so long the PC was the place for indie games. I’m sure it always will be for the most obscure of these games, but this trajectory suggests you won’t miss many of the most desirable games with just a Switch. The appeal of the system being a home console and a portable can’t be understated here. Microsoft and Sony have both toyed with streaming and cross-buy, but no solution is as elegant as being able to use the same device in both ways.

I’m almost certain I will spend most of my time with Super Mario Odyssey and the Legend of Zelda DLC with the Switch docked, but beyond these flagships, I see the small screen getting a ton of use from now on.